Nike Missile Site–Bolton Notch Pond, 6 lakes is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Buckingham Reservoir Watershed near Vernon Center, CT. The route passes Valley Falls Park Beach, Bolton Notch Pond, Bolton Notch State Park Viewpoint and Upper Case Pond before reaching Nike Missile Site at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 1,429 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 31/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi351 – 748 ft · steepest grade: 22%19.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: connector 41.82336, -72.44288
Nearest town Vernon Center, CT
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Nike Missile Site–Bolton Notch Pond, 6 lakes
16.1 mi · ▲ 1,429 ft · 6 hr 5 min
Elevation 351–748 ft
Out & Back · Buckingham Reservoir Watershed
Trailhead: connector · 41.82336, -72.44288
Weather Aug 3: Heavy showers, high 77°F / low 67° · precip 100% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:46 AM · sunset 8:07 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Valley Falls Park Beach.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Hop River Linear Park, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Bolton Notch Pond.
- 250 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftPass Bolton Notch State Park Viewpoint.
- 300 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading SW.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Upper Case Pond.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Carriage Path, heading SW.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading W.
- 450 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 200 ftBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Cornholio, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Mountain Road, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Nike Missile Site.
- 0.3 miReach Nike Missile Site, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Cornholio, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 500 ftSharp left onto Carriage Path, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Hop River Linear Park, heading NE.
- 0.5 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
48% dirt16% paved13% gravel23% unspecified
Weather
Heavy showersTemperature 77°F67°
Precip100%Wind8 mphUV4Humidity74%
Rained 2.6″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65°
Sunrise 5:46 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:07 PM
Tue
78°65°
Wed
82°64°
Thu
87°67°
47%
Fri
93°70°
45%
Sat
91°70°
41%
Sun
94°69°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~80 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from connector Trailhead
- Hop River Linear Park Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach 1.3 mi · ▲ 203 ft
- Rambling Ridge Open Space Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 3 mi · ▲ 477 ft
- Box Mountain Forest Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 3.9 mi · ▲ 480 ft
- Risley Reservoir & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 4.9 mi · ▲ 923 ft
- Box Mountain Forest Viewpoint–Risley Reservoir, 3 beaches 5.7 mi · ▲ 820 ft
- Case Mountain–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes 10.7 mi · ▲ 966 ft
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